The present invention relates to a video display assembly and more particularly to such an assembly wherein the video display may be stowed within an armrest of a seat on an aircraft or other vehicle.
European Patent Application 90902831.8 filed Feb. 7, 1990, and published as 0 411 149 A1, and PCT Application Serial No. PCT/JP90/99180 filed Feb. 14, 1990, and published as W090/10403 are both directed to assemblies enabling a television receiver or video display to be stowed (i.e., stored when not in use) within an armrest of a seat on an airplane or other vehicle, but easily removed therefrom to a viewing location. In each case, the video display is pivoted in a vertical plane about a horizontal axis from its stowed location within the armrest upwardly and forwardly (towards the seat in the row ahead), the video display then being pivoted in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis passing through the video display.
One disadvantage in common of such prior art assemblies is that the video display is disposed relatively low, the bottom of the video display barely clearing the top of the armrest, so that the viewer of average height has to bend his/her head downwardly at a sharp angle for viewing. A further disadvantage is that the video display is not centered in front of the viewer, but rather has at least a portion thereof vertically aligned with the armrest so that the viewer, in addition to bending his/her head downwardly at a sharp angle, must also twist his/her head toward the side of that armrest for viewing. Needless to say, even short-term viewing of the video display of such prior art systems is uncomfortable for the average size viewer, and prolonged viewing can lead to severe neck discomfort. Thus, the need remains for a video display which can be stowed within the armrest of a seat, yet in its use orientation is disposed generally centrally in front of the viewer and at a convenient height for the average viewer, thereby to make viewing more comfortable and pleasurable.
In addition to the prior art systems described above failing to make any attempt to provide the video display at a comfortable location for viewing, they fail to provide mechanisms enabling the video display to be tilted back and forth relative to a vertical plane by pivoting about a horizontal axis, thereby to further accommodate not only the height of the average viewer, but also the individual heights of particular viewers (for example, taller viewers preferring a greater degree of tilt, and average viewers preferring a lesser degree of tilt).
Because the prior art systems described above position the video display in use closely adjacent the armrest and relatively remote from a central location in front of the viewer, the video display does not substantially limit the ability of the passenger in the seat in an emergency to bend over and assume the usually recommended crash position or to leave his/her seat swiftly without taking any special action to remove the video display from his/her way. Clearly, a system which centrally locates the video display in front of the viewer would for safety reasons necessarily enable the passenger to easily and rapidly displace the video display out of the way as the passenger during an emergency attempted to assume the crash position or to leave his/her seat, preferably without any particular attention being paid to the need to displace the video display.
Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide a video display assembly wherein the display is movable between a stowed position within the armrest of the vehicle seat and a use position permitting comfortable viewing thereof from such seat by an average viewer.
Another object is to provide such an assembly wherein the video display may be tilted from a generally vertical plane in order to accommodate the particular height of the viewer.
A further object is to provide such an assembly wherein the video display may be forcibly displaced from a use position in the event of an emergency to permit the viewer to take appropriate emergency measures.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide such an assembly which is simple and economical to manufacture, use and maintain.